Petal Pink: Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Tulip

The formula of the Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments SPF 15 ($22.50 for 4.3g/ 0.15 oz) is among my absolute favorite lip products. So when I completely scraped clean my last mini tube of Sugar Passion (reviewed here), I knew I had to repurchase one; but this time, I've chosen a new-ish color in the range, Tulip, described as a sheer hot pink.

I realize that the thick, slippery, untuous, butttery texture of these tinted balms is not everyone's cup of tea, but personally, I love it, and have no qualms over spending the $20 for 'just a lip balm'. To be honest, I actually think these have enough pigment to be called a sheer lipstick, except they're way kinder to my wrinkly, parched lips than most of the lipsticks I've tried. I like the matte metal packaging reflecting the shade inside, I like the lemon chiffon scent, I like the color range. I LIKE these, okay?

Now, I wouldn't exactly call Tulip a 'hot' pink; it's more petal pink to me, a medium, slightly cooler brightening shade. If my memory serves me right, in comparison, the popular Rosé shade had more red to it and appeared slightly more muted/ neutral on the lips. Tulip is a bit more punchy; but still extremely wearable for everyday, and a beautiful spring tone.

In my line-up of glossy, light/medium pinks with a cool undertone, Tulip is the most similar to the Revlon Superlustrous Shine Lipstick in Kissable Pink, except the latter has a pearl finish and isn't as pigmented or glossy as Fresh Tulip. Shu Uemura Supreme Shine in PK331 is also quite similar, but a touch warmer and again, with a very subtle shimmery finish. Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie is more mauve and muted, and Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry... now, THAT's a hot pink.

L-R: fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Tulip, Revlon Kissable Pink, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie, Shu Uemura PK331, Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry (same order as the product shot above)

So, I don't have much more to say about Tulip; unsurprisingly, I love it, and will also use it up down to the tiniest nub. Well, not even that - in case you're a fan of these Sugar Lip Treatments like me and bemoan the expense, there's actually a whole lot of lip balm left once you wear the bullet down to the hard plastic base. Yes, you do need a lip brush to dig it out and it's a bit of pain, but... a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Do you love these Fresh Sugar balms like I do or do you think they're just terribly overpriced chapsticks? What are your favorite shades in these Tinted Treatments?

Project Make A Dent 2015: 1st Progress Update

Happy April Fool's Day! I'm not joking though when I say that I've made quite a bit of progress in my Project Make A Dent during the first quarter of the year. I know some people are capable of zipping through their products (can you tell I've been watching a lot of YouTube 'panning community' videos?), but I only wear make-up a couple times a week, so I'd consider my progress so far a big success.

Enough rambling, I know you want to see it rather than hear about it. The photo above shows my starting point as of January 7 (you can read the introduction post here); the photo below shows my progress as of end of March:

Sooo... let's address the elephant in the room. That tube of Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo? It's not all used up, just missing in action. More specifically, I left in Colorado when we went to visit our friend back in February. He's now coming to visit us in Brooklyn this week, so I'm hoping he'll remember to bring it back for me, but yeah. Fail.

In other, more optimistic news, I've made some really good progress on the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Rockstar, Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef, Michael Todd Creme Glace Lipgloss in Natural, Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Porcelain (you can see my check marks in the close-up above for these three products), and the Make Up Forever HD Powder. Judging from my progress so far, I imagine that these five products will all be completely used up by my next update in early July.

I was really hoping to hit pan on my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, but despite regular usage, there's just a deeper dip showing in the jar. But you know how these updates go - now that I've written up this post, I may finally hit pan this or next week. I have also been steadily using the Stila Convertible Color in Lillium, but I cheat on it with other blushes, so my progress is rather slow. I have been struggling the most with the Inglot Gel Lipstick no. 58, as it's difficult to wear such a bright shade every day (I can see just a teeny, tiny bit of progress there), and the Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Nuage, because the formula of this one is just... awful. It has very little pigmentation and staying power, but the liner itself is incredibly hard and scratchy. I can only use it to line my lower lashline; but on the other hand, I've noticed that the core of this pencil is actually broken somewhere inside the casing. At some point most of the core will just break off completely, I'll have to sharpen it a lot to get to the last remaining bit - so that will make it go pretty fast, right?

I've managed to keep my motivation/ excitement level pretty high so far, but I am aware it will drop off a bit as the product boredom creeps in. Morever, like I said in my introduction, I am thinking of doing another separate Project X Pan once at least half of these Project MAD products kick the dust - that may come some time in June, most likely. How are you doing with your Project Pan/ Project Use it Up challenges? I'd love to know!

Peaches and Cream: Catrice Defining Blush in Rose Royce

In my opinion, blushes are one area where the American drugstore has a lot of catching up to do. Apart from my well loved NYX Powder Blush collection, I haven't come across any outstanding blush formulas with an affordable price tag - so I was excited to try out a new inexpensive find I brought from Warsaw, the Catrice Defining Blush in 020 Rose Royce (16 PLN/ ~ $4.50 for 5g/ 0.17 oz, can be found on eBay, but shipping is rather expensive). I'd read a lot of rave reviews of these blushes and really wanted to see if the formula would perform for me as well.

In the drugstore I went to in Warsaw city center (Drogeria Natura for my Polish readers), the Catrice section was pretty picked over, and I believe there were only four shades of the Defining Blush on display (their website specifies there are six permanent shades available in total). I have to say that I really, really like the geometric clear acrylic packaging of most Catrice products, and was sorely tempted by the eyeshadows (singles and quads) as well. The plastic case doesn't feel cheaply made or clunky, but I will say that the hinge on my blush doesn't work very well (stops midway and has to be forced a bit), which makes me worried it may break one day. But you know, it could just be a one-off thing.

And look, look at the back label! This blush was actually made in Poland. How cool! By the way, in case you didn't know, Catrice is a sister company to Essence, which is available in the US at Ulta. That makes me hope that maybe, maybe one day Catrice will come to the US as well. Sigh.

To the touch, this Catrice Defining Blush feels incredibly silky smooth, with that buttery texture we all like to fawn over. It definitely does not feel like a very inexpensive product. While I find it very easy to pick up product from the pan, the soft formula isn't powdery in the least. The blurb on the back claims this blush will smooth out minor imperfections, and while I think that's a bit bogus, it doesn't cling to dry patches or scars like some blushes like to do. I'd say the pigmentation is medium (meaning, not so scary pigmented as to require tapping off on the back of my hand, but pigmented enough to require just one or two layers), and the finish is on the skin is a satiny matte. When you look at it in full sunlight, you can see extremely fine shimmer/ pearl particles, but it just translates as a creamy matte on the cheeks.

I know what some of you are going to say - I picked out such a 'Monika shade'! In the store, having read the shade name, I was under the impression it was going to be a pink rose color, but in fact, it's more of a dusty pinky apricot on my complexion. Either way, I love it. With my current fair winter skintone, it gives me a peaches & cream type of look, and pairs incredibly well with the Revlon lipgloss in Coral Reef, which I'm trying to use up (that's what I'm wearing in the photo below).

L-R: Catrice Rose Royce, bareMinerals The One, NYX Mauve, Tarte Dazzled

Compared to my other natural rosy shades, you can clearly see that Catrice Rose Royce has a more peach than browny red undertone. It's the closest to the bareMinerals READY Blush in The One, one of my most favorite blushes in my collection.

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this Catrice Defining Blush. Some of my blogging pals asked me for European product recommendations in the past, and this has now shot to the top of my list. From the beautiful shade, the texture, to the lightweight but longlasting effect on the cheeks, Catrice hit this one out of the ballpark. I probably won't be able to resist a couple more shades next time I'm in Poland! Do you have any firm favorites among brands that are only available in Europe?

Beauty Empties: 1st Quarter of 2015

I can't be moving with this huge pile of garbage, so now is a perfect time to share my quaterly beauty product empties! As usual, there's quite a lot of skincare and bodycare, and a bonus category - things that have long expired and needed to be tossed *sigh*.

I also have this new idea of discussing my 'Use It Up' goals in these empties posts, just to make it seem like this is going in some sort of deliberate direction. Ummm... maybe it is. At any rate, do you enjoy my artistic trash arrangements?

Let's start with skincare - separate reviews are linked where available.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleasing Towelettes (I scrubbed my face with these and my make-up didn't even budge), Burt's Bees Hydrating Cream Cleanser (contained sparse scratchy microbeads - thankfully, not made of plastic).
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Eau Thermale Avene Micellar Lotion (click; in short, I prefer cleansing oils to remove my make-up, but it was effective), Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner (alright, nothing special), Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm (click; lovely, but too expensive).
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads (click; already repurchased), TATCHA Gold Camellia Beauty Oil (click, have a back-up), Rock Rose/ Laudanum/ Cistus Hydrosol (have a back-up; fantastic for soothing and diminishing scars, I use it as a spray toner), Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant (click; really makes a visible difference when you remove it).

Bodycare - I'm especially proud of that bottle of perfume, as it takes me forever to go through a fragrance.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream (made my hands feel even drier, if that's at all possible. Very very strongly fragranced. I much preferred the Almond version, here).
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: De-luxe Shea Butter Hand Cream (sort of similar to the popular L'Occitane hand cream, but much cheaper), L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate (I liked how fast the whipped consistency absorbed into my skin, but sometimes it would roll if I rubbed too vigorously), Tokyomilk Dead Sexy EDP, Lush So White Shower Gel (generous gift from Gummy - I wasn't in love with the green apple scent).
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Aura Cacia Ylang Ylang Essential Oil, Village Naturals Foaming Milk Bath in Vanilla Amber (pleasant scent, lasting bubbles, very inexpensive for a big jug).

Haircare: lots of travel-sized bottles from our trip to Colorado. I've also realized that I go through a can of hairspray once a year, and still have four more in my drawer from the time I worked in a salon. Maybe I should use hairspray more. Or give it all away.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Sebastian Trilliance Shine Shampoo and Conditioner (while not terrible, I thought it was too heavy for my fine hair and made it oily sooner than when I use my OGX Biotin & Collagen shampoo).
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Pureology Perfect 4 Platinum Miracle Filler Spray (used it as a detangler; worked okay, pleasant scent), Enjoy Instant Reconstructor (used as a conditioner; didn't notice a dramatic difference but conditioned well), Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk (alright, don't understand the raves), Sebastain Shaper Hairspray (good dry hairspray with a medium hold).

Make-up! Only two meager products, but I'm really focusing my efforts on the Project Make A Dent 2015. I reviewed the Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes mascara here, liked it but wouldn't repurchase for now, and you know of my love for these Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments; I enjoyed Passion, but this time purchased Tulip to replace it (review with swatches coming soon).

Lots and lots of samples... I had even more, but tossed a couple in Colorado - it's pretty silly to travel with empty foil packets. Lots of My Beauty Diary sheet masks, reviewed in detail here. I would repurchase the Bird's Nest and Earl Grey Tea & Macaron varieties, and I loved my sample of Nude Omega Cleansing Jelly - contemplating a full-size purchase.

Lastly, the sad little group of products that expired and had to be tossed before I even made any significant dent in them. I'm a bit cross with myself that things like that still happen in my stash, no doubt because the said stash is way too large for me to manage. Three of these five products were somewhat unnecessary gifts, so at least I don't have myself to blame for purchasing things I didn't need. I've reviewed the Sulfur Ointment here; I just have too many spot treatments on the go at one time, so I didn't get the chance to use this one up (also, it's a huge jar). Ideally, I'd like to only own one spot treatment at any given time - I still have four to go through though -_-

Now, as for my 'Use It Up' goals for the next quarter, I would really, really like to focus on using up, and not purchasing, any back-ups of anything, skincare, haircare, bodycare, you name it. I want to have one product of each type on the go, use it all up, and then purchase a replacement. I would even like to go a few days without something before repurchasing, just to see how I can manage - and possibly use up some samples this way, or multipurpose my things. I am definitely getting to the point where this exercise will even be possible to carry out, as I've managed to downsize my back-ups significantly compared to last year.

I would also like to reduce my stash of sample foil packets and deluxe/ travel-size samples. Realistically, I travel 2-3 times a year. I don't need to hoard 10 minis of face serums and 5 tiny tubes of eyecream for those occasions, especially that I seem to accumulate these samples a lot faster than I can use them up. I'd like to downsize to the point where I have just a few foil packets 'just in case'/ to try out, and just one deluxe mini of each type of product that I can take with me when I travel, or even less than that, since I could easily depot the amount I need into travel containers. I'm thinking of really focusing my efforts on those samples via a separate project/ challenge, possibly in April or May.

And that's it! I'm pretty happy with my continuous progress in downsizing my stash - I have definitely noticed more space in my various cabinets and drawers compared to early last year, and that's fantastic. How are you faring with downsizing your stash? Have you also been focusing on a specific area of your collection?

Minimalist Monday: Marie Kondo's 'The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up' Book Review

Thank you for all the thoughtful comments and suggestions on my previous (and first!) minimalist post; special thanks to the anonymous reader who recommended I read 'The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up' by the Japanese guru of decluttering Marie Kondo. Soon after my post, I saw another blogger mention she was reading it, and the universe converged in my finally ordering it from Amazon (by the way, I did try to be a minimalist and get it from my local library, but I would have to wait for another 500 people to read it before me ;).

I was very eager to start reading it, and I devoured the whole book cover to cover within three days. If you're intending to do the same, I would just caution you against reading it in bed - I couldn't fall asleep, I was so over-stimulated by all the decluttering plans in my head. You're probably here for my answer to the most fundamental question: 'Is it worth reading?'. When I recommended it to my brother, he made a joke along the lines of 'What could be so unique about this particular book, it probably just tells you to get rid of your shit'. Yes, that it does. But to me, it was still absolutely worth reading.

If you've previously heard anything about this book at all, it's probably Marie's quirky catch phrase of 'discarding everything that doesn't spark joy'. To her, that the single criterion what should use in deciding what to keep - because the focus of the book is on things that you choose to keep, not the things you toss. She does elaborate on how exactly one is supposed to arrive at that decision (decluterring the entire living space in one fell swoop, the order of categories of things, emptying all the storage first and spreading things on the floor, taking each piece in one's hands, making the instintive decision quickly, expressing gratitude to your things, sorting them into piles of keepers and trash/donations), but essentially, that's all there is to her method. She also gives practical advice on storage solutions, which are extremely simple, examples of mistakes one could be tempted to make, and lastly, how decluttering your home will 'dramatically transform your life' for the better.

I know what you're thinking right now: 'So, did the book help you declutter and organize your apartment before the move?'. Definitely. I would say I had had a strong need to downsize even before reading her book, and it was the final push I needed to finally make some decisions about our belongings. I methodically went through my clothing, toiletries, books, papers, some sentimental items. Among my drawers, cabinets and files I found completely worn out socks, stained camisoles, clothes both too large and too small, supplements that expired in 2009, expired beauty products, damaged towels and sheets, broken cups, a fondue set we were given at our wedding and haven't used even once (Mr is allergic to cheese), novels I had no intention of reading again, Sephora invoices from online orders made in 2011, a work orientation file from 2008, empty manufacturer's boxes for broken phones that we long stopped using. You guys, I'm a pretty tidy and organized person, and generally know where everything is in my home, and how it's found its way there - but I was baffled. And a bit embarassed. And massively happy to throw those things away.

I did stray somewhat from her principles: I didn't dunk everything out on the floor, I didn't really do everything in one go, I have kept some things that don't spark joy (for now). Which is probably why I'm still finding more things I'd prefer to do without. Just the other day I was sitting in my bathtub, scrubbing the blue dye from my legs thanks to a pair of dark blue jeans that so far have been staining my calves for 5 years, and realized how ridiculous that was. Especially that I have another pair of very similar dark jeans that have never stained anything, fit much better and are more comfy to boot!

One area that I struggled the most with was gifts. I own a large amount of clothing and accessories that were generously given to me by family members and friends. Unfortunately, I don't wear the great majority of them, because they're either not my size or my style, or the friends have since turned to frenemies, and their gifts have very bad juju attached to them. Buuut... they were gifts! Someone spent their hard-earned money on them! What if I get rid of something, and the gift giver later asks if I'm still enjoying the present? Here's the quote from the book that resonated with me the most: 'The true purpose of a present is to be received. Presents are not "things" but a means of conveying someone's feelings. When viewed from this perspective, you don't need to feel guilty for parting with a gift. Just thank it for the joy it gave you when you first received it.'

I would say that overall, I tossed at least five garbage bags worth of stuff, and donated another five to Salvation Army. While I could attempt to recuperate the cost of some of my items by selling them to a consignment store or on eBay, I have neither time nor the energy to do that - and I realize it would be a very long process, which I can't have, as we're moving this week. Now, our belongings are still not at the point where they could be even remotely considered minimalist, but I'm okay with that. For now, it's enough for me to know that I am using, and ENJOYING, the things I've decided to keep.

One important point of the book that I have a bit of a problem with is how the followers of the Konmari Method never rebound, never go back to cluttering their lives and homes with extraneous stuff again. Even though I can now see a lot more clearly what I own and love (thanks to having less and the vertical folding method), I still feel the desire to shop for just a few more things to 'complete' my wardrobe. I have since been reading more books about minimalist/ simple living, and they touch on that problem in more detail; I'm thinking of devoting a separate post to that issue, and the solutions that have been keeping me from shopping for more. Let me know it that's something you'd be interested in; or maybe a tour of the closet, once we settle into our new apartment? I'm full of ideas!

Have you read 'The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up'? Have you already applied the Konmari Method to your belongings? Please share your experiences in the comments!

My Spring Make-up Palette

Happy second day of spring, beautiful readers! Can you already feel it coming? Last year, after experiencing the season on the East Coast for the first time, I bitched and moaned that New York didn't get any spring at all - it was just bitterly cold, then grey and rainy, then straight onto summer. But you know what, this year, even though it's still rather chilly and nothing at all is blooming yet except for my house orchids, I feel the change in the air, in the angle of sunlight, in my energy levels. I'm ready for warmer weather!

Taking a page from Gummy's book, I decided to shop my own stash for some spring-themed make-up. I'm all about the de riguer springtime shades like pastels and peachy pinks, because they suit my fair complexion very well. Nearly all of the products featured here have been previously discussed and reviewed in detail, so... Let's just feast our eyes on some cheery product shots, shall we?

For the eyes, I obviously had to whip out my Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio in BL215 Static - I don't own another eyeshadow palette that's more perfect for the season than this one, and as a bonus, it can be layered over different eye bases for a variety of looks. To be completely honest, I rarely do that though; I prefer to use these shades as accents in the inner corners of my eyes or along the lower lashline. I basically plan to use bareMinerals Eye Color in Celery, Fyrinnae Electric Stardust and When I Grow Up, as well as MAC Satin Eyeshadow in Heroine, a beautiful periwinkle blue, in the same way, or to add interest to a pencil eyeliner, like the NYX Slide On in Pretty Violet, on the upper lashline. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sugar Frost can add some dimension via its angelic champagne sparkle to any eye look I decide to create.

L-R: Laura Mercier Sugar Frost, NYX Slide On in Pretty Violet, Fyrinnae When I Grow Up, MAC Heroine, Fyrinnae Electric Stardust, bareMinerals Celery

Nothing groundbreaking on the lips, but I was happy to be reminded of the gorgeous texture of Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine in PK331 and the Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in Coral, both sheer, lightweight, comfortable, glossy formulas. To balance out the high-end stuff, I also threw the Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist into my current make-up basket. Since all of these products give off intense shine on the lips, I didn't really need a gloss, but I always enjoy wearing the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer.

L-R: Covergirl Watermelon Twist, Clarins Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer, Shu Uemura Supreme Shine PK331, Giorgio Armani Sheers in Coral 301

For blush, I was really feeling The Face Shop Pastel Cushion Blusher in Coral Cushion and the NYX Powder Blush in Pinky. The first is a bit too sheer, the other a bit too pigmented, but the effect of both once applied is that of a youthful, glowy cheek. No arm swatches, because... lazy.

The consequence of taking these extreme face close-ups is not only realizing you have stray brow hairs that need plucking and freckles even on your browbone, but also feeling the odd detachment of your own face looking alien to yourself.

For this Face of the Day, I kind of took the 'all the things, all at the same time' approach to feature as many products as I could combine in action, but on a normal day (who am I kidding, what is a normal day?!), I'd only reach for a couple of products from my spring palette and pair them with some boring neutrals. For the eyes, I used Laura Mercier Sugar Frost on the lid with some lighter brown to add definition to the crease, and lined my upper lashline with a dark eggplant eyeliner (Urban Decay Rockstar from my Project Make A Dent), layering NYX Pretty Violet over the top on the inner half of my eyes. I love how that turned out!

On the lower lashline, I combined MAC Heroine and Fyrinnae When I Grow Up, with Electric Stardust in the very inner corner. The rest of my face is a standard base of Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Procelain set with MUFE HD Powder (Project MAD again), some light bronzing courtesy of The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder, NYX Pinky on the cheeks and Shu Uemura PK331 on the lips. Clearly, I don't match my make-up to my outfits, because all of these cool tones look rather clashy against my red sweater. ANYWAY.

Which products out of your make-up stash do you always bring out for spring? Have you bought any pieces from spring collections this year? Or do you abhorr pastels and impatiently look forward to the warm summer shades?

Sensitive Skin SOS: REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk

For the past couple of years, I've been working on eliminating foaming face washes from my skincare routine, and I couldn't be happier with the results. I feel that my combination skin has become more balanced, hydrated and even; but sometimes I still struggle with lots of irritation and redness when cleansing my face. Which is why I've decided to give the REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk ($28 for 5.1 fl oz./ 150ml) a try, having liked their Clearcalm Clay Cleanser in the past.

The packaging is a standard REN vacuum pump bottle: functional, hygenic, aesthetically pleasing. Mind you, you won't be able to get every last drop from this cleanser - the product itself is housed in sort of a clear plastic bag inside the bottle, so it can be a bit difficult to judge how much cleanser remains inside when you're running low.

This Gentle Cleansing Milk is aimed at sensitive skin as well as skin affected by pollution, which as a dweller of one of the biggest concrete jungles in the world, I classify as on both accounts. It contains omega acids to nourish as well as calendula and fennel seed to soothe. The texture of this cleanser is somewhere between a cream and a milk - softer and easier to spread that something like Clarins Extra Comfort Cleansing Cream, but not as liquidy as your typical make-up removing milk. It does have an herbal scent that first reminded me of rosemary, but I suppose it's probably the fennel seed.

I have been using the Evercalm Cleansing Milk for about a monh now, and I'm really enjoying it. I did buy it knowing that most likely, it wouldn't have amazing make-up removing properties (and it doesn't - won't make a dent in waterproof mascara and eyeliner, but is sufficient to get rid of eyebrows and a bit of powder/ concealer), although it works perfectly as a morning cleanser or a second cleanse at night (on days I wear make-up, I use a cleansing oil to remove it first and follow up with the REN). It feels very silky and nourishing on my skin, and once I swipe it off using a warm washcloth, my skin isn't aggravated in the least, which often happens when I attempt to thoroughly cleanse my face. It leaves my face quite moisturized too (even compared to a solid cleansing balm like the Emma Hardie Moringa balm), but I wouldn't say there's a residue or a film - just calm, clean, happy skin.

I will always strive to have a more natural cream/ milk/ balm cleanser in my routine, as I've found they work the best on my skin. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase the REN once it runs out (I have my eye on a cream cleanser from Andalou Naturals next), but it's a great product. On a different note, I don't know how I feel about the fact that Unilever has recently bought out REN - I guess it makes me a teeny bit sad, but we can only wait and see what changes that will bring when it comes to the product line. What cleanser are you using currently? Do you have separate ones for morning and evening routines?